Timing device



J. H. REMI) TMING DEVICE May 23?,

Filed Deo. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheen"J rune an 64th-maw May 279 i947 .1.H. REID 2,421,113@

TIMING DEVICE Filed Dec. le, 1944 2 Sheds-Sheet 2 Wjlg Patented May 27,1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMING DEVICE Joseph H. Reid, LosAngeles, Calif.

Application December 16, 1944, Serial No. 568,508

(Cl. ll-15) 2 Claims.

My invention relates to timing devices and more particularly to timingdevices adapted to be used by theaters, and among the objects of theinvention are:

First, to provide a timing device wherein the various matters, such asfeatures, shorts, previews, news or the like being shown by the theatreare represented graphically in a display in the theatre lobby or foyer,the graphical representation being correlated with a clock or othertiming device so that one can readily ascertain which iilm is beingshown, how many minutes it has been running, or the time which mustelapse before termination, or to determine at which time any specificiiim will be shown.

Second, to provide a timing device of this charaoter which may bearranged to represent a single cycle of moving pictures or to representan entire days showing.

ThirdY to provide a timing device of this character which may be readilychanged to correspond with the different lengths of lm which are shownby the theatre.

Fourth, to provide a timing device of this character which incorporatesa particularly simple yet effective drive connection between the clockanda pointer associated with the graphical representation of the lrnbeing shown by the theatre.

With the above and other objects in View, as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isa front View of a cabinet incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a top or plan view thereof with a portion broken away and insection to show particularly the drive connection between the clock andthe means which carry the pointer.

Figure 3 is an enlarged View of the drive connection.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the cabinet on a reducedscale, taken through 4-4 of Fig. l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged front view of the clock.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through 6-6 of Figure5, as showing a modied form of drive connection between the clock andpointer.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view thereof takenthrough 'l-T of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal fragmentaryy sectional View taken through 8 8of Figure 7.

With reference iirst to Figures 1 through 4 of the drawings, a cabinet lis provided which is rectilinear and relatively shallow. The front sidelin 2 is therefore provided with a relatively large longitudinallyextending window 3 provided with a frame 4 along the upper and lowermargins across one end, the remaining end being left open. The frame 4slidably receives a plurality of variously colored panels 5. Thesepanels are intended to represent graphically the various films which areto be shown by the theatre, such as the feature lm, companion feature,preview, some short subject or cartoon, and perhaps a trailer or newsreel. The width of the various panels varies in proportion to therelative durations of the various films. Thus compositely the panelsform a graph of which the distance along its longitudinal axisrepresents divisions of time. Such divisions of time may be marked alongthe frame 4 forming a scale 6 divided into hours and minutes. The scalemay be such that the graph represents the duration from the opening ofthe threatre to its closing time, in which case the various iilms, asthey are repeated, are represented by panels of like color and length,or if desired, the graph may represent a single cycle of lm being shown.

Above the window 3 is a longitudinal opening 'l through which extends apointer 8 adapted to overhang the scale 6. Within the cab-inet l ismounted a, pair of pulley wheels 9 and l0 around which extend a cable Ilto which is attached the pointer 8. One of the pulley wheels ispreferably located beyond an end of the window 3. Fcrwardly of thispulley 9 is mounted a clock I2, which may be conventional. In thestructure shown the clock is mounted between brackets I3 secured to thefront side of the cabinet and held in place by clips I4. The windingshaft l5 of the clock is provided with prongs I6 which are adapted toengage a clutch disk Il, preferably formed of sponge rubber or othersoft material, and mounted on the shaft with the pulley 9. Thus when theclock is in position it is in driving relation with the pulley wheel 9and therefore actuates the cable Il and pointer 8. The clock is removedfor winding the clutch l1 and prongs I6 and disk l1 is automaticallydisengaged. It should be noted, however, that the clock may beelectrically driven and the prongs i6 or similar means connected to anextension of the minute cr hour hand shaft. In such case, the clock needbe removed only for resetting the pointer 8 when the program is changed.

Operation of my timing device as depicted in Figures 1 through 4 is asfollows: At the beginning of the day, or at the beginning of the cycleof events as represented by the graph formed by the panels 5, the clockl 2 is set and the pointer 8 positioned at the left-hand side of thewindow. At any time thereafter it is possible from an observation of thelocation of the pointer and by noting the time indicated by the clock totell which film is being shown, how many minutes it has been running,and how many minutes it will continue to run. Furthermore, it ispossible to ascertain readily at what time any film of interest willstart. As the program of the theatre is changed, the panels 5 may beremoved and other panels of different length substituted. The panels maybe merely colored strips of translucent or transparent material, or maycontain pictures which are representative of the film being shown, orcontain matter advertising such films. This is particularly true of thepanels which represent the feature picture being shown. In order toenhance the appearance of the panels, electric lights I8 may be providedwithin the cabinet.

Reference is now directed to the construction shown in Figures 5 through8. In this construction a cover plate 2l is provided within the cabinetI over the opening 1. The @over plate is offset inwardly from theopening 1 and its upper edge is provided with a longitudinal slot 22.The cable Il is provided with two or more pointers 8 and the pulleywheel 9 is mounted on a stub shaft 23 supported from a bracket 24located within the cabinet at one end of and above the opening l'. Theshaft 23 is connected by gears 25 and 26 to a countershaft 21 supportedfrom a frame 28 mounted within the cabinet behind the clock. Thecountershaft 21 is connected by a pulley drive 29 to a clutch shaft 3Dwhich carries the clutch disk Il for coaction with the prongs f6provided at the end of the clock shaft I5.

With the arrangement shown in Figures 5 through '7, one pointer at atime is caused to traverse the opening 1 and indicate the progress ofthe program. The panels 5 in this case, may be arranged to indicate onecomplete cycle of moving pictures being shown and the pointers may be sopositioned that as one pointer leaves the opening l, the other appearsto indicate the beginning of the next cycle of operation. Also, theclock in the construction shown in Fig. 5, may be arranged for windingand setting if spring driven, or merely for setting if electricallydriven from its face side, so that it can remain permanently in positionfor setting of the clock automatically effects adjustment of thepositions of the pointers 8.

Many other embodiments of the invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A timing apparatus for motion picture theatres comprising: arelatively fiat, rectangular cabinet structure having a longitudinallyextending opening on its front face and a slit along one side of andspaced from said opening; a guide frame bordering three sides of saidopening; a series of translucent panels adapted to be universally fittedsidewise into said guide frame to cover said opening, the width of saidpanels representing grapically the duration of various films comprisingthe theatre program; and endless drive belt unit mounted in said cabinetbehind said slit and carrying at least one pointer adapted to projectthrough said slit for observation from the front of said cabinet; aclock mounted on the front of said cabinet at one end of said slit; anda clutch operatively connecting said clock to said endless belt unit.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clutch comprises: arotatable element carried by said clock and having prongs; a shaft fordriving said endless belt; and a disk of yieldable material on saidshaft adapted to receive said prongs to form a yieldable driveconnection therewith.

JOSEPH H. REID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,163,616 McGihon June 26, 19392,265,872 Semel Dec. 9, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,007Great Britain Aug. 3, 1912 91,743 Austria Mar. 10, 1923

